The General Services Administration (GSA) is conducting a review of the AbilityOne program after allegations surfaced that foreign-made products, including technology from China, were labeled as 'Made in USA'. GSA Administrator Edward Forst has directed the U.S. AbilityOne Commission to verify the country of origin for all products on its Mandatory Procurement List and to conduct a comprehensive audit of pricing, sourcing, and compliance with federal procurement policies.
In a letter to AbilityOne Commission Chair Christina Brandt, Forst emphasized the need for transparency and accountability to ensure taxpayer dollars are not supporting misleading claims. The GSA has identified multiple instances where AbilityOne-associated products were incorrectly labeled as American-made.
The AbilityOne program aims to provide employment opportunities for individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. However, concerns have been raised regarding the program's effectiveness and the compensation of nonprofit executives involved. Forst's letter highlighted that some products sold through AbilityOne have significant markups, and executive compensation can exceed $1 million, contrasting sharply with the average salary of around $33,000 for blind workers.
The GSA has requested that AbilityOne respond to these concerns by November 12, providing corrected information and documentation on how it plans to ensure compliance moving forward. The review follows previous allegations involving false claims and kickbacks related to AbilityOne contracts, further intensifying scrutiny of the program's operations.